Brother's Love
by Weissangel24
Summary: Tragic One-Shot.


It was a festive afternoon in the Ouran High School Host Club as the boy's and their clients celebrated the Twins' birthday. Tamaki pulled out all the stoppers with this celebration; it wasn't everyday that their Little Devils turned seventeen and every one seemed to be having a fun time.

The blonde prince smiled tenderly as his eye landed on Haruhi, who was serving tea (this party had been her idea), Hunny was eating cake from Takashi's fingers (the girls were completely ga-ga over the exchange) and Kyoya was busy writing… whatever it is he writes… in his notebook, while Hikaru regaled his audience with an embarrassing tale from their youth. Normally, the younger twin would be right their in the midst of things, protesting the telling of the story and making the girls flustered by acting shy and submissive to his older brother… but no one had noticed when the younger Hitachiin distanced himself from the crowd.

Kaoru had subtly retreated to the back corner of the room. He was too tired to deal with the giggling gaggle of girls today; and while he appreciated the sentiment that had gone into throwing the birthday bash, the noise was giving him a wicked headache. Leaning his head back against the wall, the ginger-haired teen closed his eyes, trying to find some reprieve from the pain that was building in his temples.

"Are you alright?" a gentle voice inquired; soft fingers brushed Kaoru's bangs from his eyes. "You don't look so good."

Sluggish eyelids blinked open to find familiar amber orbs staring at him. Forcing a smile, the twin tried to reassure his brother, "I'm fine… Just a little headache…"

"You feel warm." Hikaru protested, pressing the back of his hand against the other's forehead. Dropping his tone, he asked, "Did you remember to take your meds today?"

Kaoru sighed, as he dropped his head to rest against his sibling's shoulder. "I'm out of one of them…" he admitted. "The refill should be ready tomorrow…"

"Which one!?" The older twin demanded to know. When the younger declined to answer, he grew angry. "Kaoru! You know you have to take that EVERY DAY! If you knew you were getting low, why didn't you order it sooner!?"

"I ordered it last week," The miserable teen retorted, "But there was a mix up at the pharmacy and they didn't have the right medication in stock! I asked them to check with another drugstore in town, but no one else carries that particular one… They're supposed to receive new supplies tomorrow."

"You should have stayed home!" Hikaru growled, wrapping the other boy in a protective embrace. "You shouldn't push it!"

Kaoru lifted his head, "I feel fine." He argued. "Just a little tired and a headache. I took it easy today, skipped phys-ed and rested during lunch. I wasn't going to miss class and club just because I'm out of a prescription!"

"Idiot…" Hikaru mumbled. "You want to go home?"

Kaoru glanced at the party-goers; every one's attention seemed to be locked on them. "Yeah… I do." He admitted. "I'm really tired."

"I'll call for the car and then we can get out of here."

"You don't have to leave!" The younger protested, his thin fingers twisting in his sibling's blazer. "This party was for us… One of us should stay."

Hikaru's eyes swam with worry.

"I can make it home by myself." Kaoru glared. "I'm not an invalid!"

"Fine." The older twin grumbled. "I'll stay… but call me if you need anything!"

Kaoru sighed, shaking his head, "You worry too much. This isn't the first time I've run out of my meds."

"Yeah, and the last time you ended up in the HOSPITAL!" Hikaru reminded harshly.

"That was different." The younger boy retorted, ignoring the ache that pinched at the center of his chest. "I feel fine … just… really tired." His brother didn't look very convinced. "I'll see you at home."

"Oi, Haruhi!" The older red-head called, getting the girl's attention. "I want you to go with Kaoru."

"Hikaru! That's not necessary! Don't bother Haruhi!"

"I don't want you going alone!"

The younger brother glared at his older sibling before turning on his heel, intent on storming out the door. The movement, however, was too fast and it made his head spin. He was only able to take half a step before his swayed dangerously. "H-Hika-" He whimpered before the darkness closed in around him and his knees buckled.

With a cry of alarm, Hikaru leapt forward to catch his brother before he could hit the ground. "Kaoru!?" He called, cradling the unconscious ginger-haired teen close to his chest, "Kaoru, answer me! You're scaring me!" He pleaded, desperately searching for a pulse. Relief filled him when he found the heartbeat, but fright seized him when he felt how erratic it was. "Please! SOMEONE CALL A DOCTOR! Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru… Please…"

"One of our family's doctors is on the way." Kyoya informed them, putting away his phone, while Haruhi and Hunny ushered the girls out of the room, apologizing for the shortness of the party and assuring them that the twins would be alright.

"Hikaru, what's going on?" Tamaki asked gently.

"I-I cant' l-lose him…" The older brother choked, clutching to his sibling tighter as he fought with the tears that threatened to fall. "Please, call a doctor… call a doctor… please…"

"Hikaru, the doctor is coming. He'll be here soon." The blonde murmured, reaching out to touch the younger teen's shoulder; the other Host members stood in a protective half-circle around the birthday boys. "Do you know what is wrong with Kaoru? Can you tell us what's going on?"

The usually cocky boy looked so lost, "I-It's his heart… I-It's always his h-heart!"

Kyoya frowned, opening his phone once more. "I was unaware of any medical conditions."

"Please… I can't lose him… I can't… not again… I can't…" The teenager was beginning to panic. "WHERE'S THE DOCTOR!?"

"Hikaru, you have to calm down!" Hunny exclaimed sadly, "If you don't, you'll make yourself sick!"

"Kaoru will need you strong to get through this." Takashi added.

"The doctor is here." Haruhi announced from her position by the window.

"I'll show him the way!" Hunny volunteered, running out the door and down the hall.

"Tell me more about his heart condition." Kyoya instructed, attempting to both distract the distraught teen as well as gather important information.

"It's my fault…" Hikaru shook his head miserably. "I was impatient and wanted to be born first."

"I don't understand." Tamaki frowned, "You had no control over when you were born."

"I was impatient." The older twin repeated. "Because I was impatient, we were born early… Kaoru wasn't ready to be born… He still had growing to do, but I couldn't wait. I made him leave our mother before he was strong enough… On the outside, we're identical… but on the inside…" Hikaru sighed, "His heart and lungs weren't fully developed then... He didn't even cry when he was born. He spent a long time in the hospital. No one could hold him or reassure him because he was that fragile. Over time, his lungs finished growing, but he still has trouble breathing sometimes… and his heart…" He swallowed hard, "His heart's never been right. Kaoru takes medication every day; otherwise he'd be stuck in bed or at the hospital. The last time he forgot to take his medicine we were in middle school on summer vacation… He had left it at home but didn't tell anyone. We were swimming in the ocean… He almost drowned the pain was so bad… Kaoru ended up staying in a hospital until after the new classes had started… He almost died… because I was impatient… It was the longest we've ever been separated… I-" _can't live through that again._

"That's really rough." Haruhi frowned, "But I don't see how you can keep blaming yourself. A lot of twins have health issues and are born early because it's difficult fitting two babies in such a small space. You've looked after him your whole lives, protected him and been there for him when he needs you."

Hikaru stared at the boyish girl. What she said made a little bit of sense but… "I can't help it."

"The doctor's here!" Hunny burst into the room and into Mori's arms. "He'll be alright now, right Takoshi?"

The stoic teen nodded as he held the smaller boy close as the older man pushed by them to kneel next to the unconscious twin.

"Now what have we here?" The doctor mused, checking Kaoru's vitals. "Ootou-san has told me about a previous medical condition?"

"Help him… please?" Hikaru pleaded, holding his brother close.

"I'll try son, but you need to let me see him."

"Hikaru, it'll be alright." Tamaki assured, prying the boy away from his twin. "Let the doctor do his work."

The younger teen looked like he was going to protest, before latching onto to the club's prince, burying his face in the taller student's chest. "Sempai?"

"It'll be alright." The blonde repeated, stroking the boy's ginger hair in effort to comfort him. It was unnerving to see the way the older twin was falling apart.

"Tell me, dear boy, which medications does your brother take?" The doctor requested.

"I-I don't know all of their names… he keeps a list of them in his wallet… It's in his bag… I think."

"Get it for me."

The teenager scanned the room for his brother's satchel.

"Kyoya, could you please?" Tamaki requested, offering a small smile to his vice-president.

"Certainly." The other junior nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose as he went to fetch the requested item.

::twins::

"H-Hikaru?" the dry whisper ghosted across the room.

"Kaoru!" The older twin exclaimed, appearing at his brother's side and gripping his hand tightly, "You're awake!"

The younger teen tried to swallow as his eyes drifted shut once more, "Wh-what happened? Where am I?"

"The hospital, Kao." Hikaru answered, brushing his sibling's hair away from his eyes. "You… You got really sick at school… Mom and Dad should be here in a couple of hours; they hopped on the first flight out of Paris when they heard."

" 'm so tired…"

"Then sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"… wanna go home.."

The older twin sighed, "You can't… not right now, at least… Kaoru…" He started, before noticing the other boy had fallen asleep once more. "Oh, Kaoru…"

"Knock-Knock!" Hunny's bright voice called as the door peeked open. "We brought flowers and melons!"

Hikaru offered a ghost of a smile as his fellow club members filled the room, "He woke up for a little bit, but just went back to sleep."

"What did the doctor say?" Tamaki inquired gently.

The older twin looked miserable as he held his brother's hand. "K-Kaoru… Kaoru needs a heart transplant…"

"Hikaru…" The taller blonde murmured.

"Th-The doctor said that the medication wasn't really working the way that it should have… instead of helping him, it was masking the damage that was occurring… if…" the teenager started to cry, his grasp tightening around his twin's hand. "I-if he hadn't r-run out of the prescription… H-He would h-have died!"

"But everything is alright now!" Hunny reminded, smiling brilliantly, "The problem was found and can be fixed!"

"No, Sempai." Hikaru shook his head. "There is a long waiting list for transplants… and none of the available ones are a match to his blood-type…"

"Let me make some calls." Kyoya requested, taking out his cell phone and dialing a number as he slipped out of the room. "I'm sure there is something my family can do to push things along."

"Hikaru, it's getting late. I can take you home…"

"I'm not leaving." The older twin stated firmly. "Kaoru hates hospitals. They scare him. I promised I'd be here when he wakes up."

"Still, you have to take care of yourself." Tamaki reminded. "Have you at least eaten?"

"I'm not hungry."

Haruhi took the ginger-haired teen's hand. "How about I make you a bento-box, and you can eat it when you are hungry? I'll make one for Kaoru too, for when he wakes up."

"I'll help you!" Tamaki smiled broadly. "We'll fill the box lunches so full of yummy food- you won't be able to resist it!"

"Takoshi and I will bring desert!" Hunny beamed. "Cake makes everybody feel better!"

Hikaru looked at each of his friends, before looking down at his brother, "Thank you… really."

"You don't have to thank us!" Hunny chided, giving the younger teen a hug. "We want to help."

::twins::

Amber eyes slowly opened, immediately fixating on the tousled hair of his mirror image. "Hikaru?" Kaoru whispered, flexing the fingers that his brother crushed in an iron grip.

The older teen's eyes fluttered open. "Kao…" He murmured, blinking rapidly as he sat up. "Sorry… I must have dozed off."

"You look horrible." The younger twin teased, reaching out and brushing back the messy bangs. "Did you sleep here all night?"

Hikaru shrugged, rolling his shoulders to relieve some of the stiffness. "No biggie." He grumbled. "How are you feeling?"

Kaoru smiled at his sibling's concern. "Just a little bit tired… and a bit hungry." He added when his stomach rumbled.

"Let's sit you up." The older twin suggested, using the remote to adjust the bed's incline and fluffing the pillows behind his brother's back and neck. "I've got to tell the doctor you're awake… Then we can eat; our friends really went all out for us."

"I didn't mean to worry everyone." Kaoru whispered, staring down at his hands that twisted in the blankets.

"It's not your fault." Hikaru tried to reassure, brushing his twin's bangs from his tired eyes. "Just relax. I'll be right back."

" 'kay."

::twins::

It seemed like forever before Hikaru returned with the doctor in tow. The older teen perched himself at the end of the bed while the physician completed his exam; he knew that his brother didn't like medical personal and the hoped that his presence was at least a little comforting.

Kaoru answered the doctor's questions tersely with a rising sense of anxiety until finally shutting down and refusing to answer anything more.

Hikaru glared at the older man until he cleared his throat and excused himself, leaving the mirror images alone. The teenager then slid up the bed to lie down next to his twin, and gathered his shaking sibling into his arms. He gently rocked him as he murmured softly in his ear until his brother fell asleep.

::twins::

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened and the twins' mother peeked her head in. Seeing her children sleeping, she smiled and let herself into the room. Closing the door behind her, she slipped into the chair by the window to watch over them.

Kaoru was the first to stir. Her younger son waved a silent greeting to his mother. "How was your flight?" He asked quietly.

"It was fine." She replied. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm okay." He snuggled closer towards his brother's warmth.

The woman giggled lightly, "If you were 'okay', you wouldn't be in the hospital."

"They won't let me go home." Kaoru shrugged.

"Have they told you why?"

The boy shook his head, "I think Hika started to tell me, but I was too tired…"

"Honey, you're very sick." The boy's mother said sadly, "Your heart is failing… if you don't get a transplant soon…" The woman looked away, hiding the tears in her eyes at the horrible notion of losing one of her sons.

"You shouldn't have told him!" Hikaru snarled, having been woken up by their conversation.

"You'd keep that from me!?" Kaoru asked, unable to keep his hurt and fear out of his voice.

"Of course not!" the older twin shook his head vehemently, "But there are better ways of saying it!"

::twins::

"His heart can't sustain him anymore. If we put him into a medically induced coma, then the stress on the organ will be greatly reduced… though it won't matter if we can't find a matching donor in the next twelve hours." The doctor explained to the twins' friends and family.

Hikaru stood frozen with the news; Kaoru could not leave him!

"Excuse me, son, but we need to be able to do our work." The physician ordered, pushing Hikaru out of the way.

"H-Hika…" His brother's weak voice called.

The older teen squeezed the dainty hand that he refused to let go of. "I'm here Kao." He reassured. "I'm never going to leave you."

"Son, you really are in the way, I need you to step outside so that we can care for your brother.

"NO!" He refused, his legendary temper flaring, "I won't leave Kaoru!"

::twins::

The teens stared at their friend in helpless disbelief.

"D-Don't do this!" Kyoya demanded. "Kaoru wouldn't want you to do this!"

"My heart goes to my brother!" Hikaru demanded, the surgeon's knife poised at his throat. "Swear to me!"

"Kaoru won't want to live if you're not with him!" Tamaki tried to reason.

"I'm doing this so we both can live." Hikaru whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Make sure… make sure to tell him how much I love him…"

"DON'T!" The older boys pleaded over Haruhi, Hunny and the twin's mother's screaming, covering their eyes against the grisly scene as the older brother drew the scalpel across his pale skin; crimson fluid squirted in an arterial arc as the blade sliced his jugular, before flowing steadily down his throat, staining the collar of his shirt.

Hikaru gave a gurgled, strangled, sound before collapsing.

"QUICKLY!" Kyoya ordered the doctors, "If we can't save him, we must honor his wishes!"

"There are protocols." The head doctor tried to reason. "A list that must be honored."

"THAT boy just sacrificed his own life so that his brother might live! You WILL abide by his final wish!" The shadow king snapped viciously, while trying to comfort the sobbing blonde in his arms. "It's okay, Saou… It'll be okay…"

::twins::

Sluggishly, amber eyes opened to meet the relieved expression of his mother. Licking his dry lips, Kaoru swallowed, before scanning the room for his familiar face. Not seeing it, he turned his attention back to his mother, fear and uncertainty making his eyes wide. "Wh-Where is he?" He whimpered. "Where's Hikaru?"

His mother looked at a loss for words, her eyes watering.

"Where is Hikaru!?" Kaoru repeated, the monitors beeping in time with his panicked pulse as he searched the faces of his friends.

"Hikaru is with you." Tamaki whispered, tears slipping down his alabaster skin as he hid beneath his bangs. "H-He'll never leave you…"

"Where's my brother…?" Kaoru pleaded, "I want him… I-I need him…"

"He loved you." The host club king continued. "He saved you."

"I-I don't understand." The younger twin whimpered. "Please…"

"Honey, your brother loved you very much." His mother tried to smile as she caressed her son's hand. "He made sure that you would live… You must remember that, and use his gift to the fullest; live your life to the fullest, and remember, that Hikaru will always be with you… in your heart."

Amber eyes widened impossibly as the implications of his mother's words sank in. "No…" He denied, "No! NO-NO-NO!" Kaoru's voice raised in pitch as he pushed his parent away; the machines resounding like crazy in response to his terror, "HIKARUUUUUUUU!"

::twins::


End file.
